Mike Litt in conversation
with Andi Meurer

How's it going, Düsseldorf?

Our podcast "Alle Rhein" for culture in times of Corona. What Mike Litt wants to know: How did the talk guests perceive the surreal times? What has changed for them? What projects are they working on now?
In episode 17, Mike talks to Andi Meurer, bassist of Die Toten Hosen.

On November 13, Die Toten Hosen will release their new album "Learning English Lesson 3: MERSEY BEAT! The Sound of Liverpool". Musically, the band travels to Liverpool in the Mersey Sound era. At the beginning of the 1960s, there were well over 300 bands playing this new sound in the dance halls, which was soon named Mersey Beat after the famous River Mersey, which borders the city.

Despite their great success as the biggest German rock band of the past decades, Die Hosen have always remained in Düsseldorf. They are based in Düsseldorf-Flingern with their own record company JKP and also look after the Broilers, Feine Sahne Fischfilet and the Antilopen Gang from there. Andi Meurer lived on Fortunastrasse in Flingern back in the early punk years. Back then, he got his inspiration at Ratinger Hof and bought the latest records from England at "Rock On".

Their attachment to their hometown is still very strong today. And if they have to, the pants also save their favorite clubs Fortuna Düsseldorf and DEG. Andi Meurer, who was always somehow responsible for the visual appearance of the pants and who is friends with many artists, pays tribute in "Alle Rhein" above all to the local museum landscape, where he visits many exhibitions. He emphasizes the influential power of the art academy.

Other fixed points for him are the Rhine and, time and again, the old town. Meurer greatly appreciates the fact that breweries such as Schumacher, Füchschen and Uerige exist side by side in such a concentrated form. For him, the Uerige is an absolute favorite place in Düsseldorf. He says: "There were times when I was in the Altstadt practically every evening."

In an interview with Mike Litt, Andi Meurer talks honestly about how much he currently misses playing live, describing the Hosen as a band that simply enjoys going on tour, meeting other musicians and interacting with their audience. At the moment, this way of life is completely in question. Andi Meurer says: "For us, playing live means that people are a big part of it. They have to be able to stand close together. That's what makes a Tote Hosen concert. A Tote Hosen concert with distance and everyone sitting in beach chairs, that won't work."

More on the topic: The Sound of Düsseldorf

Our host

Mike Litt was born in the US state of Virginia, lived in Bochum for a long time and works mostly in Cologne. What few people know is that the cosmopolitan lives with his family in Düsseldorf's beautiful Zooviertel district. He is a radio presenter (1Live, WDR 2, DLF Nova), DJ with Mayday experience and author ("The loneliest DJ in the world"). Until further notice, he will be holding inspiring talks with other Düsseldorf residents from the world of culture for us.

Photos
Cover: © Gabo
Mike Litt: © [email protected]
Music / Sound: Christian Moster / Mike Litt